Page 65 of Power Shift
“You’ve always been good at pretty lies, Cliona.”
Neit came into view. His dark eyes were filled with lazy amusement as his gaze raked over me first, then settled on my mother. “Your daughter has your eyes,” he mused. “Though her temperament is far different from your cool grace.”
Um. Thanks. I think?
“Evie has always been full of fire,” my mother said. “But you aren’t here for Evie.”
“No,” Neit agreed. “I am not.” He held out his arm, elbow crooked at ninety degrees. “Come, Cliona. It is time for us to catch up.”
Mom didn’t take his arm right away. Her posture stiffened. “This is not a good time for me.”
“Whatever it is you’re looking for, Evie said she does not have it. She has no reason to lie.” His head cocked, a violet spark in his eyes as he turned his attention to me. “Is there?”
I swallowed. Mom was turned away and couldn’t see my face, thank goodness. But Neit somehow knew I was lying through my teeth. “Of course not.”
“See?” he said to Cliona. “Now come. There are things we must discuss.”
When my mother still resisted, Neit’s eyes tightened. He moved close to her and leaned in. “Do not make me force you in front of your child.”
Mom turned, her face in profile, and for the first time in my long life, a touch of true fear touched her face. “Very well,” she said, not an inch of the emotion in her voice. “Since you are so insistent.”
Neit’s lips tilted. With a lingering look at me, he disappeared with Cliona, the overwhelming power stifling the air finally gone.
I spun. “What the hell is that seed?”
“Not here,” Ash said quietly. “We’ll meet you at your house after work.”
“Where is it?”
Ash’s eyes glowed. “Safe.”
He refused to answer any other questions and finally said he was going to get more coffee, leaving us standing there staring at each other with befuddled expressions.
“He doesn’t want us to talk about it, so we should respect his wishes.” Moira shook her head when I opened my mouth. “Ash rarely gets so serious.”
“Tonight then. I’ll order pizza.”
Tess floated after Ash without responding.
“Neit is hot,” Moira mused.
“Mmm. They’re all hot, aren’t they? Everyone with magic rolling through their veins is hard to look at.” I rolled my eyes. “The men are so pretty. It’s ridiculous.”
“The women are too.”
“The men have a dangerous edge, though. We’re just pretty.”
Moira laughed. “That’s because we don’t use violence unless we have no other choice. Men are just naturally pissed off all the time.”
I rubbed a hand over my face. “Moira.” The urge to spill all my secrets rose. I was keeping so many things held tightly inside and more and more anger rose every time a situation I was involved in spiraled out of control.
The vampire leaned forward and put her hand over mine. “Do you want to wait until tonight? Or is this something you only want to share with me?”
I’d always been closest with Moira, but what was happening with me affected everyone. “Alright.”
Moira rose and brought me in for a tight hug. “Maybe add some booze with the pizza,” she said against my hair.
“Another doozie of a night,” I agreed.
